“Father, please don’t think your daughter only remembers personal grudges and is therefore asking Father to divide his forces to kill Bai Qingyan at this time! Your daughter truly believes Bai Qingyan might disrupt Father’s grand plan. More importantly, if Bai Qingyan dies at this moment, the Grand Princess will blame Prince Xin, not suspecting us. This would benefit us in every way without any harm.”
How could Prince Xian not understand his daughter? She was doing this for personal revenge.
“Enough, enough. You needn’t worry about this matter. Father has already sent people to watch Princess Zhenguo’s mansion. Early this morning, aside from sending someone back to Shuoyang with a message of safety, Bai Qingyan hasn’t left the city. Rest assured! If Bai Qingyan makes any moves, Father will certainly deal with her for you. But acting against Bai Qingyan now—if by chance she manages to escape, it would be detrimental to our grand plan! Getting you seated on the empress throne is our objective. The overall situation takes priority!” Prince Xian spoke earnestly to Liu Ruofu.
Liu Ruofu bit her lip and frowned.
Prince Xian’s attendant jogged into the main hall courtyard and, after clasping his fists to Prince Xian, said: “Your Lordship, Prince Liang has arrived!”
Upon hearing “Prince Liang,” Liu Ruofu immediately felt disgusted. She flung her handkerchief and turned to leave, unwilling to see Prince Liang’s cowardly appearance.
Prince Xian shook his head at his daughter’s retreating figure and said, “Quickly invite Prince Liang to the main hall.”
After Liu Ruofu walked around the corner, she paused and whispered to her maidservant while covering her lips: “Go invite Young General Wang!”
“Yes!” Liu Ruofu’s maidservant responded and hurried away.
The maidservant knew well that Young General Wang was General Wang’s eldest son, who had been devoted to County Princess Liu Ruofu since childhood. Originally, he wanted to establish military merit before proposing marriage, but who knew… Liu Ruofu would end up marrying Prince Liang.
Previously, when General Wang brought Young General Wang to the capital, claiming to attend Liu Ruofu’s wedding, Young General Wang had privately met Liu Ruofu once, saying Prince Liang was too weak to deserve Liu Ruofu and wanting to elope with her.
Later, Young General Wang learned that Prince Xian was arranging for Southern Capital troops to enter the capital in batches to support Prince Liang’s ascension and make Liu Ruofu empress, so he abandoned the idea of eloping with Liu Ruofu.
Now that Liu Ruofu was seeking Young General Wang again, she probably wanted Young General Wang to kill Princess Zhenguo for her.
Sure enough, after Liu Ruofu met with Young General Wang, she asked him to conceal this from her father and lead troops to Princess Zhenguo’s mansion… making sure to kill Princess Zhenguo.
Although Young General Wang was devoted to Liu Ruofu, he wasn’t completely mindless. Worried about disrupting Prince Xian’s grand plan, he hesitated. But Liu Ruofu said, “Don’t forget, there are still twenty thousand Anping troops outside the city. Princess Zhenguo is excellent at leading troops—in several major battles, she achieved victory with fewer forces against larger ones. Father underestimates women, but I cannot let this matter go wrong! If something goes wrong, not only Father, I, and Prince Liang would die, but also the general uncles loyal to Father—these uncles who watched me grow up and are like family to me!”
As Liu Ruofu spoke, her eyes reddened. She dabbed at the corners of her eyes with her handkerchief and stared steadily at Young General Wang: “So I can only ask you to help with this matter. If you’re unwilling, I won’t force you. I’ll just go and perish together with Bai Qingyan… so this evil spawn in my belly cannot be born.”
“County Princess, you mustn’t!” Young General Wang’s handsome features immediately turned pale. He hurriedly said, “This subordinate will follow the County Princess’s words and will certainly handle this matter properly. County Princess, rest assured!”
Only then did Liu Ruofu wipe away her tears and bow respectfully to Young General Wang: “Then everything is entrusted to Young General Wang!”
After Young General Wang returned, he didn’t rush to lead troops to Princess Zhenguo’s mansion. Instead, he went to the front hall… taking advantage of Prince Xian calling Prince Liang to the study to discuss serious matters, he informed his father of Liu Ruofu’s request.
General Wang thought for a moment and approved his son’s action: “Father only knew you had feelings for the County Princess, but remember to keep those feelings buried in your heart. From now on, the County Princess will be the empress. It’s good that you solve her troubles! Your future path… will be more stable than Father’s! Go… be careful! You absolutely cannot let anyone from Princess Zhenguo’s mansion escape!”
“Your son is new to the capital with an unfamiliar face, so… your son wants to pose as Prince Xin’s people. This way, Prince Xian won’t be exposed. Even if someone from Princess Zhenguo’s mansion escapes, it won’t affect our grand plan!” Young General Wang said.
“My son is well-considered. Go!” General Wang patted his son’s shoulder. “That Princess Zhenguo has an exceptional sun-shooting bow with arrows that never miss their mark. You must be careful and don’t underestimate her because she’s a woman! Those Bai family guards are all retired from the Bai family army—they’re not easy to deal with!”
“Your son understands!”
After Young General Wang responded, he turned and walked toward the courtyard exit.
Today’s incident of Bi Heng leading Imperial Guards to attack the imperial palace was known throughout the capital. Common people all hid in their homes, not daring to venture out.
Noble families gathered their womenfolk and men together, not daring to easily leave their mansions.
Officials who should attend morning court had changed into their court robes but all cowered in their mansions, having their guards secure the gates against any eventuality. They gathered their household’s women and children in the deepest parts of their courtyards, with some families even hiding their children in secret chambers.
Second Madam Liu of the Duke Zhenguo’s mansion was awakened by the commotion. Originally wanting to go to Changshou Courtyard, she heard that the Grand Princess had entered the palace last night without notifying anyone. Unable to make up her mind, she came to Qinghui Courtyard.
Coincidentally, the Seventh Miss Bai Jinse had also come to Bai Qingyan’s courtyard.
Second Madam Liu felt uneasy: “How could things suddenly turn to attacking the imperial palace?”
“Prince Xin claims the Crown Prince plotted to harm the Emperor, wanting to kill the Emperor to ascend the throne. The Crown Prince claims… Prince Xin plotted to harm the Emperor, wanting to kill both the Emperor and the Crown Prince to ascend the throne. So the two sides started fighting!” Bai Qingyan tried to explain the situation in terms that Second Madam Liu could understand.
“This… this won’t affect us, will it? How about we bring Jinxiu, Wang Ge’er, and Qin Lang to our mansion? With everyone together, we could bolster each other’s courage!” Liu Shi clutched her handkerchief, her heart extremely panicked.
“Second Aunt, you needn’t worry. I’ve already had Uncle Ping instruct Jinxiu not to leave her mansion. This fight between Prince Xin and the Crown Prince is over the throne—they won’t indiscriminately kill innocent people in the capital. After all… the current officials are all loyal to their Lin family. Who would want to gain a reputation for brutally killing official families before ascending to the throne?” Bai Qingyan comforted Liu Shi.
Bai Qingyan’s words made sense, and Liu Shi could accept them. But with her daughter, grandson, and son-in-law not by her side, and such a major incident occurring, how could she not worry about their safety?
“Moreover…” Bai Qingyan’s eyes gleamed with hidden intensity. “Our mansion is probably more dangerous than the Qin mansion! It’s better not to have Wang Ge’er and Jinxiu return!”
“Might Prince Xin think of the twenty thousand Anping troops outside the city and fear that Elder Sister might leave the city to lead reinforcements for the Crown Prince… so send people to kill Elder Sister?” Bai Jinse clenched her fists, suddenly feeling a chill down her spine.